The Meaning of Isaiah 41:28 Explained

Isaiah 41:28

KJV: For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counseller, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.

YLT: And I see that there is no man, Yea, of these that there is no counsellor, And I ask them, and they return word:

Darby: And I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.

ASV: And when I look, there is no man: even among them there is no counsellor, that, when I ask of them, can answer a word.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For I beheld,  and [there was] no man;  even among them, and [there was] no counsellor,  that, when I asked  of them, could answer  a word. 

What does Isaiah 41:28 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 41:17-29 - What The Lord's Hand Does For The Needy
Life is not easy for any of us, if we regard external conditions only; but directly we learn the divine secret, rivers flow from bare heights, fountains arise in sterile valleys, and the desert blooms like the forest-glade. To the ordinary eye there might appear no outward change in the forbidding circumstance; but faith's eye always beholds a very paradise of beauty where other eyes see only straitened circumstances and a trying lot.
Once again our minds are brought back to the great convocation announced in the opening verses of the chapter. The idols are asked to say or do something to prove that they are divine. See Isaiah 41:21-23. There is no response; with the result that a crushing verdict is passed on them as recorded in Isaiah 41:24. On the other hand, the prophet of the Lord is prepared with His predictions of Cyrus "the one from the East," (see Isaiah 41:2 and Isaiah 44:28) which would be fulfilled before that generation had passed away. Let us give heed to the sure word of prophecy, "as unto a light that shineth in a dark place," 2 Peter 1:19. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 41

1  God expostulates with his people, about his mercies to the church
10  About his promises
21  And about the vanity of idols

What do the individual words in Isaiah 41:28 mean?

For I looked and [there was] no man and I looked among these but [there was] no counselor and who when I asked of them and could answer a word
וְאֵ֙רֶא֙ וְאֵ֣ין אִ֔ישׁ וּמֵאֵ֖לֶּה וְאֵ֣ין יוֹעֵ֑ץ וְאֶשְׁאָלֵ֖ם וְיָשִׁ֥יבוּ דָבָֽר

וְאֵ֙רֶא֙  For  I  looked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Jussive, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וְאֵ֣ין  and  [there  was]  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
אִ֔ישׁ  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
וּמֵאֵ֖לֶּה  and  I  looked  among  these 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
וְאֵ֣ין  but  [there  was]  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
יוֹעֵ֑ץ  counselor 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יׄועֵץ 
Sense: to advise, consult, give counsel, counsel, purpose, devise, plan.
וְאֶשְׁאָלֵ֖ם  and  who  when  I  asked  of  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
וְיָשִׁ֥יבוּ  and  could  answer 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
דָבָֽר  a  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.